25 October 2011

A standoff over prison overcrowding is finally over...after inmates at Tocuyito released the final 12 hostages...mostly women employees. The inmates wanted some prisoners transferred. More than 50 guards and prison workers were taken hostage earlier this month...but 25 were released Sunday...from the prison near Valencia. Another 15 were released Monday. Angry over extreme overcrowding...some prison inmates have been seizing relatives during visiting hours or taking prison guards and officials as hostages. Venezuela's prisons currently hold 47,000 inmates...but were designed for only 12,000 prisoners.